Hiatus Verse
by Momotastic
Summary: Hardison went to find Parker and after he did, he went to go seek out Eliot. Implied Alec/Eliot and pre-slash everywhere.
1. To Where You Are

**Picks up at the end of Season 1.**

**Disclaimer:** If I actually _owned_ Leverage or the characters, I really wouldn't have to write fic about them!

**To Where You Are**

He had gone after Parker first.

Alec wasn't the kind of guy to refuse a challenge – and she really hadn't made it easy for him to find her.

It took him about three weeks, and when he did, he realized that she wasn't the one he wanted.

He apologized and thankfully Parker made it easy for him. She said that she really hadn't known what he would have expected from her anyway.

They were okay, still friends and still able to work with each other if Nate was ever going to call them all together again.

"So, who are you going after now?" She wanted to know and Alec shrugged. He hadn't thought beyond finding Parker. He had imagined that from there on everything would sort itself out as soon as they were together.

Now that he wasn't going to stay with her, Alec needed something else to do.

"Dunno. Maybe try and find Nate, ask what he's gonna do without us."

"Uh huh. Let me know what he says."

"Sure."

Two days later Alec figured out that Nate wasn't the one he wanted to see, either.

Another ten days passed and he rang the doorbell. He hadn't been this nervous since prom night.

When the door finally opened, Alec knew that he was where he had wanted to be from the beginning.

Eliot's blue eyes were wide, his mouth opened as if he wanted to say something.

He didn't.

Instead he held the door open and stepped aside so that Alec could come in.

Five minutes later Alec was sprawled on Eliot's old couch and holding a bottle of beer in his right hand.

"I thought you were going after Parker."

It wasn't a question and Alec wondered what exactly Eliot was thinking about Alec appearing on his doorstep.

"I was."

He answered a moment too late which earned him a look from Eliot Alec couldn't place yet.

"What changed your mind?"

"Nothing. I went after her, found her and left again."

Alec was faster with his reply this time – which made the strange look on Eliot's face more serious.

"Something happen?"

Eliot sounded curious and Alec simply shrugged.

"No, nothing happened."

"Then why didn't you stay? Did she throw you out?"

It dawned on Alec now what that look on Eliot's face meant. He didn't trust Alec. He didn't trust Alec who appeared out of nowhere without any warning when he was supposed to be hunting down Parker and stay with the crazy but cute blonde.

Alec hurried to reassure Eliot that he could be trusted.

"No, of course she didn't. I just didn't want to stay."

"Oh."

Eliot's look changed to thoughtful for a second before his face was as blank as before.

"But I thought you were into her?"

This time it was a question.

"Yeah, me, too," Alec agreed and then grinned up at Eliot who was still standing in front of the couch. He was tense and Alec didn't know what to do to get Eliot to relax, to trust him again.

It used to be easy for them to hang out, to talk to each other. But all the time they had been separated – those months hadn't done their friendship any good.

A moment later though Eliot finally seemed to ease up and it looked as if he had realized that the tall, black guy on his couch, who was drinking his beer, wasn't any danger to him – not that Alec had considered himself a threat to Eliot. Ever. That man could kill with his little finger and Alec wasn't stupid enough to make him angry or try to attack Eliot.

When Eliot flopped down onto the couch next to Alec, they were back to normal. Just like that.

"You heard from Nate, yet?" Eliot asked and Alec shook his head.

"Nope, not a word. But I guess it won't be long now."

Alec snatched the remote from the low table in front of the couch and switched on the TV. Eliot instantly tried to argue about what they were going to watch ("It's my apartment, Hardison, you'll play by my rules!") and Alec couldn't help but grin at him when he changed the channel to catch the latest season of America's Next Topmodel.

* * *

><p><strong>Title taken from a Josh Groban song.<strong>


	2. Home To Stay

**Home to Stay**

When Hardison had appeared on his doorstep over a week ago, Eliot had been confused and wary. The last time he had seen the guy, Hardison was getting into a plane while Eliot mounted his bike.

Eliot hadn't gone far. Phoenix was big enough a city to disappear for a while.

He rented a small apartment (not everyone needed a big and spacey loft like Hardison used to have) and he had even taken up a real job to pay the rent and bills. Eliot worked in a small diner where he tried to educate the guests about _real_ food.

He should have figured that all he would earn were skeptical looks and various angry shouts from the dining area. No one seemed to like it when he squeezed some lemon juice onto their burgers. Ignorant assholes.

Of course he stayed at the diner even though he had to restrain from actual _cooking_ and limit himself down to making scrambled eggs and bacon or a few variations of burgers. Nothing too fancy.

If Eliot was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was hoping to receive a call soon so he could leave the crappy place behind – just like so many before. And he had already been thinking about leaving even without the call. About going somewhere else just to escape the stupidity and monotony of the place.

And then, suddenly, Hardison was there.

Not that Eliot stopped working at the diner (Hardison had offered to transfer some money into his bank account so Eliot could escape that lame excuse for a kitchen) or that the guests suddenly like his fine cuisine. No, of course not. But Eliot wasn't thinking about going away anymore either.

Sometimes he came home (and when had he begun to call the place he stayed at _home_?) and found Hardison asleep on the couch in the living room. Other nights Hardison tried to make dinner for them but usually just created chaos in the kitchen that Eliot would have to clean up later.

He had tried to figure out why Hardison had come to him after ditching Parker. Or why he had ditched Parker in the first place.

During the year they had worked together, Eliot had seen how Hardison had snuck around Parker and how Parker had liked the attention as much as she was confused by it.

So why hadn't he stayed with her?

He told himself that staying with Parker must have been nerve-wrecking and that Hardison probably wanted some _quiet time_.

Or maybe Parker had insulted his geek pride somehow and Hardison was mad at her.

And why exactly did Eliot care so much about Hardison's motives to come and see him? Or to _stay_ with him?

But what was even more important was why did Eliot _let_ him?

He shook his head and turned flipped the burgers on the grill. He had to find out why Hardison had come to him of all people. As soon as he knew, Eliot would be able to figure out why it affected him like that.

"Aron, there's a visitor for you. Again."

Stella (probably not her real name, but then again, who was he to question her about it?) poked her head into the kitchen and smiled at Eliot. She was the diner's waitress and among the few people who acknowledged his finer creations. Eliot liked her.

He put down the spatula and wiped his hands on the apron before leaving the kitchen to his assistant.

The second he entered the dining area, Eliot discovered Hardison sitting in a booth near the counter. His usual spot.

Eliot hesitated for a moment.

Hardison had been around for only nine days and he already had a _usual spot_ in the diner Eliot was working at?

Except for the conference room in the office (which didn't count because they all liked hanging out there) Eliot couldn't think of one single location he could have expected to find Hardison during the whole year of working together and now it had taken him only two or three days to pick one?

In that moment Hardison looked up and smiled that wide and very happy smile that made Eliot grin back even when he was in a bad mood or trying to stay mad at Hardison for some reason he mostly couldn't remember anymore in that moment.

He walked over to the booth and sat down on the other side of the table.

"You bored again?"

"Nah, just hungry."

"Why didn't you order something? Or, y'know, cook."

"You're seriously suggesting I should go into your kitchen and cook? Seriously?"

Now that Eliot thought about it he had to admit that it probably wasn't a good idea to let Hardison anywhere near a kitchen.

"Still, you could've ordered pizza or Chinese take-out."

"True. But your food tastes better and it's cheaper."

Hardison had a point.

"Alright. What do you want?"

Eliot had gotten up again to go back to the kitchen and the burgers. He just hoped that Trevor (a college student incapable of deep frying fries) hadn't burnt the burgers yet.

"How about that awesome omelet I had last time? The one with mushrooms and cheese? And don't forget the lemon juice!"

Eliot smiled. Again. And, seriously, what was up with that?

He really had to do something about this. He'd have to tell Hardison to go and find his own place – or leave the city altogether. Or maybe Eliot should go after all because he wasn't the kind of guy who smiled when someone liked what he cooked. Eliot Spencer wasn't the kind of guy who smiled much at all.

"Yeah, sure. Anything else?"

"Nope."

"Alright, omelet with mushrooms, cheese and the not-so-secret ingredient coming right up."

Alec grinned, and Eliot had to force himself to not beam at him in return.

He really, _really_ had to do something about this.

* * *

><p><strong>Title taken from a Josh Groban song. Again.<strong>


	3. Here With Me

**Here With Me**

Alec had been apartment hunting. Again. He really hadn't done anything else in the last three days.

It was all Eliot's fault really. He had mentioned that his apartment was too small for both of them, and now Alec was searching for another place. Something bigger. He had looked at a few places, even considered some and then thrown away the application forms again.

Nothing was good enough. Either the living room had too few windows or the kitchen was too small. How could they get an apartment with a small kitchen if Eliot was such a damn fine cook? No way was that going to happen.

Just when Alec had been about to give up for today, he had glimpsed a promising offer.

i_Two bedrooms, 1 living room, kitchen, bathroom, hallway. 910 sq. ft., $1,070-2,000, deposit $250._/i

The pictures were looking great, and Alec had been lucky enough to be able to get an appointment to see the apartment in less than an hour.

When he had been standing in the middle of the living room he had started grinning like crazy.

"It's perfect," he said, more to himself than the realtor who joined in on the praising anyway. Alec got it - she wanted him to take the place.

"I know, isn't it just? It's very bright and the kitchen is a dream for anyone who likes to cook."

"It is. Alright, how much is it gonna cost and when can we move in?"

From there on it had been very simple. Alec put down one of his fake identities and given her a false bank account from where he would send the money as soon as possible.

Now he was back at Eliot's old place and nervously waiting for his return. For what felt like the millionth time Alec glanced at his watch. 10:32pm.

Right in that moment he heard Eliot unlocking the door. Alec had to force himself not to run into the hallway and tell the good news. No, that would ruin his plan. Instead he stayed on the couch and tried to look as innocent as possible.

"Hey Hardison."

"Hey man. How's the diner?"

"Same crappy place as yesterday."

"Huh. You want a beer?"

Alec had stood up, ready to head into the kitchen, but Eliot's response stopped him.

"No, actually I just want to go to bed."

"You can't."

"Why? Did you steal my bedroom?"

Eliot smiled weakly, but his voice revealed that it was something he thought Alec capable of.

"Actually I got you a new one."

"You did what?"

"Remember when you said that this place is too small for the two of us? You were right."

Eliot didn't react the way Alec had imagined him to. Alec had expected Eliot to be surprised or maybe confused but … angry?

"So you're throwing me out of i_my_/i apartment? You sell me out to the cops, Hardison? Huh? Is that it? I can't believe I trusted you! I can't believe I let you stay at my place! I should've i_known_/i I couldn't trust anybody and especially not another i_thief_/i. I bet that's why you couldn't stay with Parker! You betrayed her, too, didn't you?"

Alec hadn't seen Eliot this angry before. It scared the shit out of him.

"What? No, Eliot, no! I didn't do anything like that."

"Why would I believe you?"

Eliot had come closer and was now only inches away from Alec.

"Because I didn't tell the cops shit."

The fear was probably evident in his eyes because now Eliot was smirking at him and i_damn_/I if that look didn't suit him. Alec would have liked to pursue that thought -especially since, even though it wasn't new, it still surprised him a little that he was attracted to Eliot - but Eliot grabbed the front of Alec's t-shirt and shoved him against the nearest wall.

"If you didn't call the cops on me then why would I get a new bedroom? Why would I have to leave my own damn apartment?"

Eliot's voice was low and dangerous. i_That_/i part of Eliot Alec knew. It was how he talked to the bad guys before they were in for a nasty beating. That voice was one of the first things that had attracted Alec. He swallowed, unable to answer. Eliot pushed a little harder and Alec found his voice again – only that it didn't sound like him at all. Too rough, and too silent.

"Because I found a new apartment. For both of us. In East Valley. Nice neighborhood."

This time Eliot looked surprised. Didn't loose his grip on Alec's shirt though.

"Uhm, Eliot, you mind letting go of me?" Alec asked carefully, and Eliot's look changed to confusion before he realized that he still had Alec pinned to the wall.

"Uh, sure. Sorry."

"I can't believe you actually thought I would sell you out to the police. What the hell man?"

"Sorry. It was the first thing that came to my mind when you said you got a new bedroom for me. I hadn't expected you to find a new place for you and me. Or, at all."

"But you said yourself that the apartment was too small for the two of us."

It was Alec's turn to be surprised now. He had thought that Eliot i_wanted_/I to move out of this place.

"What I meant was that it was time that you looked for your own place instead of staying on my couch. Or maybe leaving altogether."

Eliot's voice had taken on a strange sound while he said that, and Alec would be hurt and disappointed by Eliot's words if it wasn't for that tone, that underlying … sadness? Uncertainty? And who would've thought that Eliot Spencer was the kinda guy who could feel uncertain?

"You want me to go away?"

Alec's voice was shaking. Of course he was scared that Eliot didn't want him around. That would be even worse than knowing for sure that Eliot wasn't interested in Alec like that.

Eliot let out a breath. "I wanted some space." He didn't look at Alec while saying it and took a few steps back. Maybe to underline his words?

"Why?" Alec asked. "We've been working together for over a year and you never felt the need to push one of us away like that."

"I haven't been living with any of you. Working together is different from living together and in our case it might even become working i_and_/I living together. Look, Hardison, this isn't something I normally do. It's not something I'm good at. I beat up people, I cook, I steal and I con. Those are things I i_can_/i do. Relationships of any kind aren't my specialty. I couldn't even stay with the woman I loved for more than a few months before I felt like I had to go and do something."

"Liberating Croatia? Yeah, good job you did there."

A smile tucked at Eliot's mouth, and Alec smiled in return, trying to act as if everything was okay – or would be.

"Okay man, I get it. You want your apartment to yourself. It's no big deal. I misunderstood. I'll move to East Valley and come by every now and then or visit you at the diner or something."

He congratulated himself for sounding so calm and reasonable while he was not. If he was honest – and if with no one else at least he wouldn't lie to himself – he was unhappy to find out that Eliot most obviously wasn't interested in him any other way than professionally (or maybe even platonically), but at least he wouldn't make this harder on either of them.

Eliot didn't have to know about Alec's feelings, and Alec would get over this. Maybe now with the soon-to-be-there space between them it would be easier.

"Thing is though," Eliot interrupted Alec's stream of thoughts, "that I didn't actually want you to not be around anymore."

Since he had no idea how to respond properly to that, Alec settled for not saying anything but raising his eyebrows in question at Eliot - who was looking at him for the first time in minutes.

"Hardison, I like having you around. It just … confuses me that I do and I was dealing with it the only way I thought fit."

Alec's brows almost hit his hairline now. Was Eliot really saying what Alec thought he was saying?

"So, uhm … that apartment you found? Does it have a kitchen or only a microwave?"

* * *

><p><strong>Title taken from a Dido song. Josh Groban had nothing to offer this time.<strong>


	4. Memories

**Memories**

The apartment had a kitchen. An amazing kitchen, even. Eliot was impressed – and that didn't happen all that often.

They had moved to the new place five days ago, and were still settling in.

Hardison was shopping for furniture online in his "geek corner," as Eliot liked to call it, while he was taking care of the kitchen.

He already owned a few important things (knives mostly, a few pans and pots and dishes) but Hardison had made him buy more.

Eliot was moving into and organizing his kitchen and changed something nearly every day. Hardison was already laughing at him because of it but he usually went quiet when Eliot glared at him.

Thing is, he never had had as big a kitchen as this one - except for the few days they were working that wedding job but that kitchen had been fully equipped when Eliot got there.

He just didn't know how to set up a big kitchen. He was used to having a small place and just enough space to store all his stuff. But this kitchen … it was huge.

Eliot didn't really mind all the space he had and being able to set it up the way he wanted. His problem was that he didn't _know_ how he wanted it to be set up. He kept on changing everything because after he stored the knives in that one drawer closest to the counter an idea popped into his head and he thought that maybe it would be better to store them somewhere else. The same happened whenever he found a place for his pans and pots (no mixing!), the dishes (should they be closer to the counter or the hearth?) and the spices (did he want a spice rack and if yes, where would he like to position it? It was just the same kind of mess as with the dishes), and why the fuck had Hardison cared so much about Eliot having a big and amazing kitchen?

_"So, uhm … that apartment you found? Does it have a kitchen or only a microwave?"_

"_You seriously think I'd get an apartment without a kitchen?"_

_Eliot shot Hardison a glance that was unmistakably saying that Eliot actually thought him capable of doing just about anything stupid._

"_Of course it has a kitchen. You'll love it. It's spacey and shiny and the realtor said that it's the dream of any cook to have a kitchen like that."_

_Hardison looked so happy and very pleased with himself. Eliot didn't know what to make of it. He would have expected Hardison to be geeking out over the apartment in a way that implied that it had great bandwidth or was perfect for his computer-loving soul. What Eliot had _not_ expected was Hardison geeking out about the kitchen that he wouldn't be using except for making coffee._

For what felt the millionth time Eliot rearranged the contents of the fridge (should the meat go on top or the bottom while fruits go on top?), and one would think that it couldn't be all that hard to get a fridge sorted but again he was met with too much space. Back in his old apartment he had had two shelves and the crisper to store his groceries. Now he had six shelves and a crisper plus way more compartments in the door. One shelf and compartment were reserved for Hardison's stuff and the rest were free for Eliot to use.

_"Hardison, that kitchen is too big."_

"_The hell? No, man. It's just about the right size!"_

"_What am I supposed to do with all that space? Hardison, have you looked at that fridge? You know I don't buy even close enough groceries to fill that thing!"_

_Eliot rolled his eyes because he had expected a decent kitchen but not a freakin' mansion!_

"_Look, I appreciate what you were trying to do but what am I supposed to do with that big of a kitchen?"_

"_How about usin' it to feed me?"_

_Hardison was wearing that confident, cocky smile he only dared smiling when he was dead sure that he was right. _

"_You eat half the time at the diner anyway."_

_"Just 'cause you're not willing to quit that job and instead abandon me every day to heat up burgers for strangers."_

_Eliot closed his eyes and counted till ten before he opened them again. Hardison was still smiling at him but didn't look as sure as he had been moments before. Eliot felt the silly urge to reassure Hardison that it was okay and that he would get used to the size of the place. _

_He didn't._

_Instead he walked out of the room and continued to look around the apartment. Their apartment._

Eliot had given up eventually. He wasn't getting anywhere if he kept changing the order of everything every few minutes.

He left the kitchen with two open bottles of beer in his hand to see how far Hardison had come with buying a couch.

He rounded the corner and first saw the sign above the desks that held Hardison's four monitors. The corner of Eliot's mouth twitched upwards for a second.

_Eliot went to the part of the living room that was the farthest from his bedroom and wrote something on a sheet of paper before taping it to the wall._

_"There, you can have that one."_

"'_Geek corner'? Seriously?"_

_"What? You don't like it?"_

_"Nah, man, it's cool."_

_Eliot tried hard not to grin back at Hardison._

"Hardison? You up for a break?"

Eliot stopped as soon as he spotted Hardison sitting in front of one of his monitors.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't receive an answer so he moved closer until he could see what Hardison was doing.

"You're playing that game again?" Eliot narrowed his eyes. Hardison was supposed to buy furniture for their living room – not play _stupid_ games.

When he got closer to the desk he could make out two strange looking creatures on the monitor and they were … sword fighting?

"Hardison are you virtually fighting with a sword?"

"Actually, I'm virtually _winning_ a sword fight."

Eliot pressed his lips together so he wouldn't gape.

"But you're an awful fighter with any kind of weapon," was all he could press out while shaking his head disbelievingly.

"Not when I'm using a mouse."

Eliot watched Hardison win the fight and then leaving the game before he turned in his chair to look at Eliot with a smug expression.

"What?" Hardison asked.

"Nothing." Eliot just shook his head and Hardison for once shut up without getting an answer.

Instead he tried for casual. "You mentioned a break?"

"I did. But you're not getting one."

"What? That's unfair, man. I just won a sword fight."

"A _virtual_ sword fight and you were supposed to buy furniture, not play games. You already had your break."

Eliot turned around and went back into the kitchen. He needed to think.

* * *

><p>Title stolen from the Backstreet Boys.<p> 


	5. You Still Do That To Me

**You Still Do That To Me**

Alec had no idea what just happened. Eliot hadn't seemed mad or disappointed. Not even curious. If he had to put it in words he'd use _thoughtful_ and that just didn't fit the Eliot Spencer Alec knew.

Not that he thought Eliot wasn't a thinker but Alec had a hard time connecting the event of him winning a fight in a computer game with Eliot being pensive about it.

He decided that the furniture could wait a little longer and followed Eliot into the kitchen.

When Alec entered, Eliot was leaning against the counter, taking swigs of beer from one of the bottles he had brought to the living room. Alec came closer and took the bottle that was standing on the counter top.

"'S up, man? Why so broody?"

"'Cause I've been told it makes me look handsome."

The tone of Eliot's voice was just this side of dangerous so Alec figured he could dare prodding some more.

"Since there's no one else around but me and because I already _know_ that you're handsome there's really no need to put up an act. What's it really that got your panties in a twist?"

"You were supposed to buy furniture, Hardison. Not play games."

Alec was startled for a moment because Eliot so obviously did not respond to the remark about his good looks.

"Oh come on. That's not the real reason," he said slowly.

"Believe what you want. Now get out of my kitchen."

Eliot's voice had dropped some more – clear sign for Alec to tread carefully now.

"No. Not until you tell me why me winning a sword game makes you go all Angel on me."

Alec just couldn't let the "broody and handsome" statement go like this. Eliot didn't seem to get it though.

"I'm not behaving like an angel or do you see me smiling sweetly and telling you that the Messiah is coming?"

Alec rolled his eyes.

"No, not _angel_ as in _heaven_. _Angel_ as in _The Dark Avenger_. Seriously, do you never watch TV? You should, it's an awesome show and that one dude, uh what's his name … Lindsey! You two look somewhat alike."

"What the hell are you talking about, Hardison?" Eliot asked, eyebrows drawn together.

"Nevermind."

Eliot was definitely pissed off now. At least that's what Alec read from the jaw clenching and glaring. He sighed. There was no point in trying to get anything out of Eliot today. Alec set down the bottle and left the kitchen and a brooding Eliot alone again. It probably was best to finally order that couch.

By the time their furniture arrived a couple of days later, Eliot's mood had improved a little. He was back to _just pensive_ instead of _pensive and grumpy_.

When Eliot came back from work that night, their living room was completely furnished with a couch, couch table, arm chairs and an eating table with chairs. There was a big plasma screen TV on the wall and a stereo in the corner. Alec had even bought half a dozen speakers so he could get decent surround sound.

Eliot stopped dead and looked back and forth between different pieces of furniture and Alec who was lounging on the big, chocolate brown couch in the middle of the room.

"You like?"

"Yeah, looks okay to me."

"Cool. And to give you a little heads-up: I got you a new bed, too."

"Why would you do that?" Eliot's eyes narrowed and Alec hurried to explain before Grumpy could come back.

"Your old one was … well, old. The mattress was worn out and probably not all that good for your back. And since I was buying one for myself, I figured why not get you one, too. Man, I gotta tell you, that couch from your old apartment wasn't as comfortable as it looked."

Alec couldn't decipher the look on Eliot's face but he was pretty sure that Eliot wouldn't try to murder him in his sleep for buying a new bed.

"So, uh, how was work?" Hardison was trying for casual and even though he knew that Eliot didn't like small talk – well, anything was better than spending another evening in silence because Eliot apparently didn't like talking to Alec anymore.

"Okay. Trevor burnt only three burgers instead of the usual eight and Stella's friends came over and she made them try the omelet I usually make for you."

"How did they like it?" Alec asked, happy that Eliot had actually answered the question instead of ignoring it and vanishing in the kitchen like he had the few nights before.

"Alright. One of them gave me her number."

Hardison choked and when he looked back up at Eliot, he was standing much closer than before (seriously, how quietly did that man move?) and he was looking down at Alec with – curiosity?

"Did you call her yet?" Alec tried to stay calm and not sound nervous.

Instead of answering, though, Eliot watched him for another couple of seconds and then sat down on the couch next to Alec.

"Nah, she's not my type," Eliot finally answered, sounding just like he used to when dismissing something.

Alec suppressed the sigh of relief and turned his head to look at Eliot – who was still watching him.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my nose?"

He knew that his face was clean – he had checked in the mirror about a dozen times before he had positioned himself on the couch – but what else could he say without giving himself away?

"No. Sorry." Eliot looked away.

The silence was awkward and Alec had no idea why. Silence between them didn't use to be awkward. It used to be comfortable and relaxing.

"How much did you pay?" Eliot asked a moment later.

"Oh you mean how much did Will Smith pay? A few thousand dollars." Alec grinned at Eliot and this time Eliot looked surprised - before he started laughing. A moment later he patted Alec's knee with his right hand and got up. He shook his head laughingly while walking toward the kitchen. Alec hoped Eliot would make something for dinner – and ease up around him again.

* * *

><p>Title stolen from Chris Cagle.<p> 


	6. Warning Sign

This is set at the same time as **You Still Do That To Me** but from Eliot's POV.

**Warning Sign**

The truth was that Eliot needed some time to think about what had happened that day. So he did what he did best. He kept to himself as much as possible, worked and thought things through.

Yes, he noticed the confused and sometimes hurt glances that Hardison shot him. And he noticed how Hardison sometimes watched him when he thought Eliot didn't notice.

Of course he noticed. If he didn't notice people watching him he would have been dead long ago.

Usually when someone watches him, it makes Eliot tense and wary. He's ready to strike and punch out the light of anyone who tries to get too close.

With Hardison though, it was different. It didn't make him edgy when Hardison watched him. Maybe a little nervous but not bad enough to lash out. Eliot knew that Hardison was looking for signs that would explain Eliot's behavior for the last few days.

The only thing that really bothered Eliot was the fact that he didn't know why Hardison did it.

"You done staring at your spatula or do I need to help you with those scrambled eggs?"

Slowly he tore his eyes away from the kitchen tool and looked over to where Stella was leaning against the kitchen door. She was smiling – no, actually she was smirking.

Eliot quickly looked away again. He didn't like the look on Stella's face at all. It made him feel like he had been caught and that never happens. Not to him. Not to Eliot fuckin' Spencer.

"Mind your own damn business," he growled.

Stella seemed unimpressed if the "pffft" sound she made was anything to go by.

"Whatever. Just make sure your bad temper doesn't affect your fine cooking, alright?"

Eliot saw out of the corner of his eye how Stella left the kitchen again and wondered about his sudden feeling of disappointment.

Hardison hadn't come by the diner since Eliot had caught him playing his game two days ago.

When he got home that night, Eliot's mood had become worse.

There had been a group of college students who had found their way into the diner sometime during the afternoon. Eliot could hear them loudly discussing something that turned out to be the latest developments on _Torchwood_ and it pissed Eliot off that he actually knew that just by overhearing them mentioning the names Captain Jack and Ianto Jones.

Hardison had made him watch that show – along with _Star Trek_ and _Doctor Who_ – and it annoyed Eliot to no end that he had actually enjoyed it.

Not that he would admit that. Ever.

Still, when he got home later that day he had to stop himself from telling Hardison about this. He did not want to break the distance they had built up since the day before yesterday. He was not ready yet. There still were things for him to figure out.

Like, why it bothered him so much to not hear Hardison laugh anymore. Or geek out about something like the new look of the TARDIS or the latest spoilers for _Supernatural_.

He went into the kitchen and made some dinner. Eliot still cooked enough food for two because not talking to Hardison didn't mean that he would let the kid starve himself to death or be poisoned by microwave meals. Not that Eliot allowed them in the house anyway but better safe than sorry.

"So, why did you get all mad a few days ago?"

Eliot had been concentrating on getting those pancakes just right when Hardison broke the silence.

"Huh?"

"You know, when I was playing my game and you stormed out after catching me. It wasn't just about me not buying any furniture, was it?"

Eliot kept his back to Hardison but his shoulders were tenser than before.

"Drop it, Hardison."

"No way, man. We're living together. We can't have any negative tension going on here!"

Hardison was staring at Eliot's back - he could feel it; he always felt it - as if he tried to make him turn around and say the truth by sheer willpower.

Eliot shrugged dismissively. "Whatever."

"Whatev-? Man, what is it with you and just telling the truth."

Hardison was close to throwing his hands up in the air and becoming really dramatic. Eliot could hear it in his voice.

"I'm a bad guy. I don't say the truth."

He had used the _I'm a bad guy_ excuse before and he knew Hardison didn't care about it. Probably because both of them had done more good than bad over the last year, but Eliot really just wanted to not have this conversation again.

He could hear Hardison getting up from where he sat at the kitchen counter and walk toward the stove.

"Like hell you are. We gotta trust each other. How else are we gonna work together?"

Eliot was ready to bet any amount of money that Hardison was standing behind him with his hands on his hips, head tilted slightly backwards and his trademark _I'm very annoyed!_ bitch face. If Eliot weren't so annoyed he might have laughed at the image. Instead he tried to make himself sound as matter-of-factly as possible.

"We're not working together anymore."

"At the moment! Nate will call and we'll be taking out bad guys again just like before."

If he turned around now, Eliot was most likely to find Hardison gesturing wildly.

Their argument was interrupted by Eliot's sniffing to find the source of the sharp smell of burnt food before he realized that those were his pancakes. He cursed under his breath while discarding the black dough into the garbage can.

Hardison had apparently stepped back a little because when Eliot turned around to scowl at him angrily, Hardison was already behind the counter again.

"You happy now, Hardison?"

Shake of his head.

"Why the hell do you keep bringing it up anyway?"

Shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, you figure that one out and don't bother me anymore."

Nod of his head.

Eliot ran his hand over his face. He needed to calm down before going to work or Trevor and every stupid customer would be in for a beating. His patience would be wearing thin anyway though. Stupid Hardison with his stupid questions.

Hardison looked like he was frozen on the spot and Eliot decided that it was a good opportunity to leave before Hardison could come out of his catatonia.

He was grateful for the slow day at the diner. Stella had sent Trevor home as soon as Eliot had arrived and so he got to enjoy some peace and quiet in the kitchen. It gave him time to think.

When he went home that night he took as much time as possible to reach the apartment.

Sometime during the late afternoon he had realized what the problem was, and now he wondered how a man who usually read people in the blink of an eye and found out their weaknesses and what they were going to do even before they did – how someone like him was able to ignore all the warning signs of his behavior.

When he had stopped minding Hardison being in his small apartment and his personal space 24/7, he should have realized what was going on.

Looking back he figured that when he had stopped being seriously annoyed by Hardison's geekiness it should have been his tell.

Of course it hadn't been.

Not even the fact that on very rare occasions he had almost slipped and called him "Alec" had opened his eyes.

But when he found Hardison playing his stupid computer game and winning a virtual sword fight …

Eliot thought he would be annoyed by the guy's inability to stop playing that game. He had expected to be angry because Hardison had been supposed to buy furniture and not procrastinate like the twenty-something geek-boy he was.

No, Eliot hadn't become angry or annoyed. Instead he had found it adorable – of all things! – that Hardison wasn't able to hit an aim in reality even if it was three feet away, but fought easily with a sword as long as he used a mouse to do it.

When Eliot realized that he may be feeling something for Hardison he needed to process that.

Usually he dealt with strong emotions by taking off for a while, work out and think in peace.

This time he didn't, because he knew that no matter where he went, Hardison would find him in faster than Eliot could say, "I'm from Oklahoma," and drag him back while demanding an explanation.

So, Eliot stayed and tried to put at least some distance between them.

Wasn't all that hard considering that Hardison learned fast not to get into Eliot's way when he was brooding.

Still, he had started missing Hardison's laughter and the way he would be lost in his world of geek for hours. And yeah, he missed him showing up at the diner for Eliot's lunch break.

The three days of not actually talking to Hardison made Eliot realize that he was gone for the kid.

Question was what he would do with the knowledge.

Whatever it was, it would have to start with talking to him again.

* * *

><p><strong>Title taken from Coldplay.<strong>


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